Prison
by Enide Dear
Summary: Cid is transporting the Remnants as prisoners on the Highwind. Who will outwit who?
1. Chapter 1

Title: Prison

Author. Enide Dear

Rating: no violence, no sex, some little nakedness

Pairing: Valenwind, also featuring Kadaj, Yazoo and Loz, but no Remnantcest

Summary: Cid is transporting the Remnants as prisoners on the Highwind.

Sighing inwardly, Cid wondered what in the seven Hells had ever possessed him to agree on this Gods-damned stupidly dangerous flight. He was used to flying cargo, or, when the chance came for him to do join the fight, fly into battle. He'd faced storms, hostile fire, *friendly* fire and fucking exploding craters with his airship and he'd trusted the Highwind to carry him through it all.

But he'd never flown prisoners before. And most certainly never prisoners like these.

From three separate steel-welded cages, three pairs of identical reptile-green eyes looked back at him and blinked in unison. Cid scowled. It freaked the Hell out of him when they did that.

"A'right," he said, glaring back and chewing his cigarette, "I'm the captain here and ya and me will be seeing a lot of one another on this trip, seein' as I don't trust ya with my crew. Ye'll be referring ta me as captain Highwind, and I'll refrain from callin' ya 'copies', 'bastards', 'dip-shits', 'lunatics', 'larvae' or any of the other pretty names I've heard used.

This trip will take 'bout a week before I can get yer sorry pale asses delivered ta Midgard prison and then ya'll be someone else's headache. First sign of trouble from any of ya, and I'll dump ya all out the cargo hold. Now, we're about seven thousand feet up, so I figure a drop like that ought ta have had rather terminal effects even on old Sephy, but yer welcome ta try. Yeah, ya with the long hair?"

Cid pointed at the cage closest to the door where the pale Remnant had risen a hand – quite politely - in query.

"Please stop smoking around us. That thing is poisonous."

"No. Now, ye'll get the same kind of food as the crew and me, three times a day and tea at four o' clock. Ye'll sleep, eat and shit in the cages – that's what the buckets are for. Ya make a mess, and ya'll get ta live in it. Any other questions?"

He pointed at the oldest Remnant, who sat with his knees drawn to his chest in a childish position.

"I don't like tea. I want coffee. With lots of sugar."

"I want milk in mine."

"Plain black, and very strong. Got any espresso?"

"This ain't a fucking pleasure cruise!" Cid scowled, a nagging suspicion of being wound up bouncing in his head. "It's a prison transport and ya ain't getting a damned à la cart menu!"

"I'm cold. Can I have another blanket?"

"No!"

"I'm allergic to apples, and I don't like pears."

"Tough shit!"

"This is so boring. At least put in a telly."

"And a radio."

"Some beers would be nice."

"Fuck ya all!"

The Remnants sniggered as Cid started to storm out, but before he could reach the door Kadaj said sweetly:

"Oh, captain?"

"What?!"

"You've never flown prisoners before, have you?"

Cid stared back at the three grinning, haughty faces and then slowly stubbed out his cigarette on the sole of his boot and lit a new one, letting the smoke drift over to the cages.

"No," he admitted, "but I figure that evens out, seeing as how ya've never been prisoners before either."

Three smiles disappeared instantly, exchanged for sulky annoyance. Pleased to have got the last word, Cid made a mock salute and closed the door on them.

"Captain! Captain!" Remnant voices drawn taught and shrill by fear echoed over the Highwind and Cid hurried towards the cargo hold, pushing worried crewmembers aside.

When he opened the door to the hold he saw Kadaj laying on the floor of his cage, shaking spastically, his eyes rolled back behind his eyelids, foam around his mouth.

"What the fuck now?" Cid growled. "What's wrong with him?"

"He needs – we need – physical contact." Yazoo stood clutching the bars, his face even paler than usually by worry. "He'll die without it! You must let us touch!"

In the third cage Loz tore at the unmoving steel bars, tears running down his face. Cid's piercing gaze darted from one cage to another as he stroke his chin. Then he turned and hurried to a corner, slamming with something metallic.

"Yes, that's it," Yazoo mumbled inaudibly, smiling wickedly, "get the keys…what is that?"

Cid came running back with a big bucked, his face set, his eyes glowing. Careful not to get too close to the cage with the trashing Remnant he drew his arm back and dumped a bucket full of ice-cold water over Kadaj.

"Hey, what ya' know," Cid grinned as the young Remnant's thrashing ended in a squeal of surprise and anger, "I've found a cure. They ought ta give me a fucking prize or somethin'."

"You idiot!" Kadaj raged, trying to shake himself dry like a wet cat. "My clothes –my blanket – it's all wet! I'll freeze and catch a cold!"

"Oh, I'm sorry. Ya must be mistaking me for someone who gives a rat's-ass."

"You'll regret this!" Kadaj hissed, his green eyes glowing with anger under the wet, dripping hair.

"No, opening the cage I would have regretted. This – this is somethin' I'll cherish for the rest of my life and tell my grandchildren."

Cid did bring a dry extra blanket when he took a tray of tea to the prisoners that afternoon, figuring that the cold shower probably had done all the good it could by now. But when he opened the door he almost dropped the tray.

Loz had thrown his blanket to Kadaj, who had used it to dry himself, and Yazoo had thrown over his jumpsuit. But as the standard-issue prison suits where the only clothes allowed to the prisoners, it meant that Yazoo was now naked. The long-haired Remnant stood facing his brothers' cells, giving Cid a perfect view of graceful long legs, a perfectly rounded sweet ass and a slim back disappearing under silky silver hair.

When he heard the door open Yazoo spun around, blushing and fumbling for his blanket, which he swept around his waist. The threadbare cloth more accentuated the vulnerable nakedness than covered it.

Cid let his gaze sweep slowly up the young, blushing Remnant's gorgeous body.

Then he shrugged.

"I've seen better."

Yazoo's jaw dropped and a real, rather ugly, blush came over him.

"You have not!" Loz shouted before he could stop himself.

"Hell, yes I have." Cid started to deal out a teacup and a cookie to each cage. "I'm married ta Vincent Valentine. Now sit down and shut up and drink yer Gods-damned tea."

Rather sulkily, they did.

Before going to bed, Cid went to turn off the lights to the Remnants. Kadaj and Yazoo were already asleep, swept in their blankets, but Loz sat leaning against the bars, sleepy but awake.

"Captain Highwind…" he said when Cid came in to check on them.

"Yeah?"

"…have you ever been to prison?"

That was an odd question. Cid wondered were this would be going.

"Yeah. Once. Some git said somethin' bad about Vince. I beat they guy up and had ta spend a few days in prison."

"What's it like?" Loz fiddled with the blanket. He looked very lost and young.

"Boring as Hell. People ta tell ya what ta do all the time. No freedom, no choices, no friends…"

"Are there…" Loz hesitated. "I mean, I've seen on the telly…that people are not very nice in there."

"They're in there for a reason, ya know. Just like ya."

Loz shook his head.

"No, I'm not worried about me. But my brothers, " he cast a quick, worried glance at the sleeping forms, "I mean, you know what they look like. I'm afraid that the other prisoners will…do things to them."

Cid followed Loz gaze to the other cells. Asleep, Kadaj and Yazoo, looked very young, their faces softened, their strange eyes hidden. They looked to Cid like any sleeping young punks would. Vulnerable. Innocent.

"You could let them go." Loz said quietly. "As long as I am in there, they will behave. They won't do anything that might make you punish me. But they'll be free. They'll get another chance."

"You are Loz, right?" Cid sighed as the Remnant nodded. "Well, I have ta hand it ta ya. Of all the tricks ya three tried today, this was the best one. Even better 'cause ya probably mean it – at least until ya realise that it wouldn't take two days fer yer brothers ta get ya out of a place like that. And anyway –" Cid smiled lopsided "-I bet both ye and yer brothers will be eatin' anyone who tries anythin' in there alive. Heh. Cloud and the Turks should have warned me about ya as well as yer brothers."

Loz almost smiled.

"Well, you can't blame me for trying."

"I guess not. Good night."

"Good night, captain Highwind."


	2. Chapter 2

Title: Prison 2

Author. Enide Dear

Rating: no violence, no sex, some little nakedness

Pairing: Valenwind, also featuring Kadaj, Yazoo and Loz, but no Remnantcest

Summary: Cid is transporting the Remnants as prisoners on the Highwind.

"The queen goes on the king."

"Shut up."

"You can put three of spades on four of hearts, over there on the end."

"Shut up, I can see it."

"Don't forget to turn over that card…"

"Shut the Hell up, all of ya! I'm trying to play solitaire here! Sol-i-tair! Means alone!" Cid growled at the Remnants who ignored the scowl.

"But it's so boring here. You and your cards are the only source of entertainment." Yazoo sighed.

"Why are you in here, anyway? You've been here all morning." Kadaj's eyes slitted suspiciously.

"'Cause I don't trust ya, and I'm gonna keep an eye on ya for the rest of the flight."

"But…who's flying the plane?" Loz said a bit worried.

"My crew." Cid shrugged. "They can handle her well enough, but after all the fuzz ya caused yesterday I'm staying here. Ya caused more problems than I had when a shipment of chocobos escaped."

"What chocobos?" Kadaj asked curious.

"Was gonna take them ta Golden Saucer and somehow they escaped – and no, I ain't gonna tell ya how. Took three days ta round 'em all up and back into the cages. I'm still finding fucking feathers up the ventilation shaft! And one of the stupid birds tried to hide its head down one of my crew members pants, poor guy."

To his surprise, the Remnant burst out laughing, not wickedly but at the story. Cid grinned.

"Heh, yeah I guess it's kind of funny…"

"You've ever flown to Wutai, captain Highwind?" Yazoo asked, leaning forward.

"Sure, lots of time. Once I had this shipment of materia…oh, hi Vince." Cid turned as the door opened and Vincent came in with a tray of breakfast. "I was jest gettin' hungry."

"I figured as much…what is wrong with them?" Vincent raised an eyebrow at the Remnants, and Cid looked up, dropping his jaw.

The Remnants had got to their feet and were pressing against the back of their cages, hissing and trying to get as far away from Vincent as possible. Only Kadaj seemed able to hold on to his crumbling courage.

"That…that is a demon!" he stammered. "Quickly, give us our weapons! We'll fight it!"

"Don't be silly, kid." Cid snorted with laughter. "This is Vince, my husband. And he's got four demons inside, not jest one."

"You are married…to that?! Him, I mean him," Kadaj amended as he saw Cid's blue eyes darken.

"Yep. Now stop messing around, I ain't fallin' for it."

Reluctantly, and rather convincingly scared, the Remnants relaxed a bit in their cages. Vincent gave them a dead-pan stare, kissed Cid and mumbled something in his ear, and then left the tray and the food to Cid. Three tense stares followed him out.

"You are braver than we though," Kadaj admitted as Cid started dividing up buns and cereals.

"Yeah, sure." Cid grinned.

"No, really." Kadaj said seriously. "That one…Vincent…he's dangerous. As dangerous as we are, even."

"And pretty," Loz grinned. "Now I understand why you thought Yazoo was plain."

"Oh, you are so mean!" Yazoo yelled and threw a bun at his brother; it hit Loz on the cheek with the jam upside. "Meanie!"

"Mmmm, jam!"

"Stop eating my breakfast!"

"Hey, you threw it at me!"

"Boys. Boys! Stop that right away!" Cid managed to step in front of the escalating food-war. "Stop it and I'll tell ya about Wutai."

They settled down a bit, making faces at the tea, but drinking it and eating their breakfast whiles Cid told the sordid tale of materia stealing ninjas and a rather clever trap he'd set involving Nasty Spiky Things, revolving parts and whipped cream. He had a disquieting feeling at the end of it that Kadaj was taking mental notes. Maybe encouraging them to nastiness wasn't such a good thing.

"So," he said once they'd eaten. "Ya ever played poker?"

"No."

"No."

"No."

Cid smiled, a bit wickedly.

"Then this will be very fun fer some of us."

A few hours later Cid had lost his jacket, his shoes, his lighter, his pocket knife, his shirt, his scarf and all the random lint in his pockets, all piled up neatly far from the cages with sniggering Remnants.

He scowled frustrated. He really should have known better than playing card with people who smirked *all the fucking time*!

"So," he said to buy some time over the truly lousy cards he had at hand. "What's with this Mother thing, anyway?"

"She's Mother," Kadaj shrugged. "Don't you have a Mother?"

"'Course. Passed away when I was just a teen, though."

"And didn't you love her? And wouldn't you have done anything to save her?"

"There's a d'ffrence, though," Cid shook his head. "My mam's cooking might have been lethal, but it didn't try ta take over the world." He chewed his cigarette. "Well, her pot roast might have made a try for it, but still."

Kadaj snorted.

"Don't tell me you didn't want to make her proud. To make her love you."

"See, that's the thing with real mothers. Ya don't have ta earn their love, they give it anyway."

"Then what's it worth?" Kadaj insisted. "Real love has to be earned to be worth anything."

"Really? Then what have ya done to earn each other's love? As brothers?"

Kadaj eyes blazed with anger, but he sat still, his brow furrowing with thought. Yazoo and Loz looked uncertain as if the thought had never occurred to them.

"It's different." Kadaj said finally.

"How?"

"It just is! Mother is…Mother is a supreme being! She's better than all of us, so we must prove deserve her love!"

"By becoming someone else than who ya are?" Cid met the angry young Remnant's gaze straight on. "Ya must be so very lonely."

"We are not lonely," Loz said, interrupting. "We have one another."

"And ya better hold on ta that, 'cause it seems ta me that's all ye'll ever have."

"No! Shut up!" Shaking with fury Kadaj threw his cards at Cid, who merely swatted them away. "We don't need your damned pity! Go back to your insane demon lover – who will rip you apart one day, you know – and leave us alone! We have nothing more to say to you!"

Demonstratively, he turned around in his cage and sat down with his back towards Cid; somehow he managed to get that simple action to mean turning his back towards the entire world. But his slim shoulders were shaking and his breath came ragged more by sobs than anger.

Cid didn't say anything, but collected the cards with a sigh. He went back to his table and started sorting them out once more for another round of solitaire. Before he had finished the first round came a tired voice from one cage:

"Knight of diamonds goes on queen of spades."

"I can see that, Yazoo."

"So," Vincent said when Cid crawled into bed that night. "How is the little larvae?"

"They're not larvae, Vince. Ya shouldn't call them that. They're…well," Cid sighed,"…they're insane, homicidal, megalomaniac punks, but they ain't larvae."

"I'm sorry," Vincent said a bit surprised, "I didn't think you of all people cared about name callings."

"They've had it bad enough. No need ta make it worse." Cid rubbed his eyes. "It's just…sitting cooped up with them in there, it's like I'm as much a prisoner as they are. I ain't used to not doin' anythin' all day…my head is tired, but my body is awake."

Cool, clever fingers walked over Cid's chest and downwards.

"Really?" Vincent mumbled. "Then maybe I could figure out a way for you to spend some of that pent up energy?"

Cid laughed as the dark man rolled on to of him, all worries disappearing in the heat of the moment.


	3. Chapter 3

Title: Prison 3

Author. Enide Dear

Rating: no violence, no sex, some little nakedness

Pairing: Valenwind, also featuring Kadaj, Yazoo and Loz, but no Remnantcest

Summary: Cid is transporting the Remnants as prisoners on the Highwind.

"Well, well, well," Kadaj said nastily as Cid walked whistling through the door the next morning and turned on the lights, "looks like the high and mighty captain got lucky last night. Pretty kinky, isn't it, having five different bodies to choose from. Still I suppose it keeps up interest."

"You. Bucket. Water. Got it?" Cid snapped, but with out real heat. Still Kadaj shut up, glowering at the captain under a curtain of silver hair. "Anyway, that's a bit much ta hear from someone who's brother tried ta seduce me after half a day, and then probably would have bit my head off like some praying mantis."

"I wouldn't have bitten it off," Yazoo said with a lazy wave of a slender hand. "I like you far too much for that, captain. I would have just snapped your neck. Quick and painless. Or so I've heard."

"Ah great, now I feel much better." Cid grumbled and went over to the workbench in the other end of the cargo hall, starting to tinker with something. With his back towards the Remnants, they couldn't see what he was doing, but whatever it was it seemed to intrigue the captain a lot.

"Ooooahshit! Godsdamnedfuckit!" There was a sparkle of electricity and Cid jumped back, waving his numb fingers in the air. "The Hell was that?"

"Hey!" Loz grabbed at the bars around his cage. "That's mine! What are you doing?"

Cid waved the odd weapon that had numbed his arm in the air.

"This is yers? Where the Hell did you get it?!"

"I didn't get it, I made it! It's mine, so stop messing with it!" Upset, Loz tried to grab his Duel Hound through the bars.

"Hmph." Cid turned it over in his hand. "Ya made this, huh? That's…that's pretty damned clever, really."

"I…well…thank you," Loz looked taken aback and his grasping hand fell down. "Um….no one's called me clever before."

"P'robly because they didn't get this thing. Trust me, kid, I wasn't a shining star in school either. Doesn't stop me from being good with my hands, though." Cid grinned, wickedly. "Jest ask Vince."

Yazoo tried to suppress a giggle, but didn't manage.

"Isn't all this *bonding* just lovely?" Kadaj hissed with bitter sarcasm. "Now stop fooling around with our things before you break something. We'll need them to kill you once we get out of here."

"Too late. Yer brother already promised ta break my neck painlessly, remember?" Cid ignored Kadaj's angry glowering and sat down cross-legged a prudent distance from Loz's cage. "So, how do ya power it?"

"Um…." Loz threw a nervous, questioning glance at Kadaj, but the Remnants' leader didn't give any contrary orders as he was busy sulking, so Loz shrugged and answered. "Flakes of materia. You see, if you lead them in just right, the energy will convert into electricity."

"Ya didn't figure that out by yerself."

"No, ShinRa used a method of it, so I kidnapped an engineer. The ideas come from him, but the design and use was mine."

"What happened ta him?"

"Who?"

"The engineer."

"I had to try it out on someone, right? I couldn't just go into real battle with it untested. One of my brothers might end up hurt if it didn't work."

"Ya three are by far the most seriously disturbed people I've ever met." Cid shook his head. "How do ya transmit the electricity?"

"Oh, don't get him started," Yazoo sighed. "He'll take about conductors and alloys for hours."

"Really?!" Cid almost bounced with eagerness. "I knew one of ya had ta be smart…wait." Cid suddenly went very still, cocking his head to one side as if listening. Very slowly he put the palm of his hand on the floor, feeling the vibrations. "Somethin' is wrong with the Highwind. Ya'd better…." A small, almost undetectable tremble got Cid to his feet, much faster than the Remnants had thought the captain could move. Cid threw himself at the workbench, which was welded to the floor. "Somethin' wrong! Hold on ta yer drawers and don't piss in them!"

Yazoo and Loz grabbed for support on the bars to their cells, but Kadaj only sneered.

"What's wrong, *captain*? Your precious airship got a bump? When I'm free, I'm going to enjoy burning it in front of you…"

There was a screeching sound and one of the engines died suddenly; the ship keeled over as power was lost. The three steel cages slid across the floor, Yazoo's only missing Cid's legs with inches, and slammed into the side of the ship. Yazoo and Loz managed to brace themselves but Kadaj flew across his cage like a thrown mitten; there was a horrible sound of crunching bones as his head slammed against the steelbars and a loud snap when his arm broke. Blood, obscenely red against the pale unconscious face, started pouring down from his head wound, far too fast and much.

"Kadaj! Brother!" Caught in their cages on the sloping floor, the Remnants' reached in vain desperation for their brother, just as the ship's loudspeaker started howling:

"Captain to deck! Captain to deck immediately!"

Cid didn't hesitate, but swore as he skid along the sloping deck, grabbing a First Aid kit on the way. He bounced hard against the cage's bars, fumbled inside his shirt and found a key hanging with his dog tags. Clutching the aid kit, he lowered himself gently towards the unmoving Remnant.

Kadaj didn't move as Cid gently flipped him over, his eyes showing only eerie white and his fingers shaking spastically. Blood was gushing from a gash in his head, big enough to be dangerous. Tearing the bandages with his teeth, Cid slapped the cotton pads against Kadaj's head, holding it tight, swearing for a Cure materia he didn't have. The bandages bled through almost immediately, and Cid swore louder; the wound was too deep and big. He had to sow it shut. Getting out needle and thread from the aid kit, he grimly went to work.

"Chief! Chief!" Vincent came rushing in to the hold, Cerebus drawn and ready for the worse. The crew had managed to stabilise the airship and she was once again flying steadily, if slowly, but the absence of the captain had not gone unnoticed.

"I'm fine, Vince. Sorry ta have scared ya but…" Cid stood up from next to the mattress where he had been putting the final touches on the cast around Kadaj's broken arm. The Remnant's other arm was firmly cuffed to the bars, even though he was still barely conscious. "…he almost died."

"And why would that be such a bad thing?" Vincent growled as he stepped up to the cage, glaring down at the foggy- eyed Remnant. "He could have killed you! It could have been a rouse!"

"Yeah, but it wasn't." Cid stepped out of the cage and carefully locked it. "He really did need help."

"You are…you are…" Vincent sighed and threw his arms around Cid, muttering in his ear. "You are a wonderful man. But you take the most unnecessary stupid risks with them."

"Funny thing, though." Cid hugged him back. "They keep saying the same about you."

Vincent had the decency to blush.

"Well, you are needed at the bridge. Come on."

"Let us take care of him, please," Yazoo begged, still reaching through the bars towards Kadaj. "We won't do anything, just let us be locked up with him!"

"He's hurt! He needs us!" Loz tried.

"Sorry boys," Cid shook his head. "Ya know I can't do that. I'll look after him, though, I promise ya. He'll be alright."

"Please!"

"No."

Cid and Vincent stepped out and closed the door behind them.

Kadaj woke in the middle of the night. The air smelled of brimstone around him, there was a heavy weight on his chest and a new, sharp pain moving down his chest to compete with the burning throb in his head and the dull ache of his arm. Every enhanced sense he had screamed at him in fright.

Yellow demon eyes leaned over him, even as the claws moved down his chest, shredding the jumpsuit's fabric.

Kadaj gasped in fear; instinct made him lash out, but one arm was broken and in a stiff cast and the other was cuffed to the bars because the captain wasn't stupid enough to trust him otherwise.

From the corner of his eyes he could see his brothers curled up in fear in their cages, helpless to do anything but watch.

"Hush now, little Remnant," the demon grinned. "There's no need to panic. Well, there is, but it won't do you any good."

A clawed hand closed around Kadaj's throat, closing harder, cutting of air. Kadaj bit; his teeth sank deep into sulphur tasting flesh and acid blood but he tore his head aside, ripping off a large chunk of meat; the demon screamed in anger and pain and Kadaj howled in terror for the one person who could save him now, the one person who might care.

"Captain! Captain Highwind!" his voice got shrill with fear. "Help me!"

The demon growled in frustration, huge wings snapping out as it threw itself over him again, bone-white teeth shining.

"Chaos! No, stop it!" The lights were flicked on as Cid threw open the door, rushing in, sleep-tousled and in his underwear, holding something in this hands. The pilot stopped as Chaos grasped Kadaj's neck once more, worrying him like a terrier worries a rat. Blood splattered as Kadaj's head wound opened once more.

"Why?" Chaos growled. "He's a threat. He would try to kill you. And we can't have that."

"Chaos…put him down." Cid moved closer to the cage, slowly. "Put him down, ya hear? He's jest a punk, a kid. He couldn't harm me."

"He's Jenova's spawn. He is dangerous! Let me kill him and we'll be rid of him."

"I ain't gonna let ya do that, and ya know it. Vince would never forgive me if I let him do somethin' like that."

"Vincent is…too soft for his own good. We'll be protecting our mate if he doesn't."

"I ain't yer fucking mate, Chaos! I'm Vince's husband, so let me talk to him!"

"Maybe. After I killed this one." Chaos nodded at Yazoo's cage. "And that one too, he tried to lure you away from us. That one," he indicated Loz's cage, "you can keep as a pet. After I bite his feet and hands off."

"If you touch my brothers, I'll kill you!" Loz snarled, but his voice trembled so bad it was barely understandable.

"No one is gonna kill anyone here." Cid growled. "Vince, I know ya can hear me right? Ya can't do this, not ta them, not ta anyone. Or if yer gonna kill them, at least do it yerself. Here."

All three Remnants gasped of fear as Cid threw in Cerebus at Chaos, who let go of Kadaj enough to catch it. The big, heavy gun looked awkward in the demon's paws, still bleeding from Kadaj's bite. Chaos turned the muzzle down, aiming between Kadaj's eyes, but it hesitated, and strange shivers seemed to shake it.

"I…he…he won't do it," Chaos growled in frustration, even as its body started to change. "You will regret not letting me do this!"

"Yeah, sure." Cid stepped forward. "Vince? Vince, come back ta me, please."

The Remnants had to look away as the transformation went through; it was just to strange to watch even for people who called a cut off head their mother. Seconds later Vincent Valentine fell off Kadaj's chest and into Cid's warm, waiting arms.

"He…he tricked me," Vincent mumbled. "I was dreaming, a nightmare, they were killing you….he used my fear and took over."

"It's alright now, Vince, it's alright." Cid stroke the long, black hair, scooping Vincent up in his arms. "Ya didn't hurt anyone. He didn't kill anyone. Ah, damn, look at yer hand! We need ta get this patched up. Come on."

He carried Vincent out the hold, cradling him very close.

A few hours later, closer to morning than midnight, Cid returned to the cargo hold and his prisoners. The captain looked very tired and worn now; he couldn't have slept more than a few hours.

"How are ya?" He said as he opened Kadaj's cage and started fussing with his wounds; there where demon blood all over the Remnant's face and Cid wiped it away, careful of the teeth.

"How do you think I am?!" Kadaj spat. "I was almost mauled to death by a demon!"

"Hey, ya just be glad it was Chaos, a'right. Ya can reason with Chaos. Galian Beast ya have ta wrestle down, Death Gigas ya have ta tickle and Hellmasker….well, yer ta young ta learn about that jest yet."

"He's insane!"

"Oh, look who's talking. Didn't ya threaten ta kill me jest hours ago?"

"I…" Kadaj sulked, and twisted his head away, "I don't want your help!"

"No, but ya need it, so yer gonna get it anyway. Lay still, I jest need to change the bandages. Look, ya had a shock. Here's an extra blanket, try not ta kick it off. I wish I could stay with ya, but Vince's gonna wake up any minute, and he needs me there."

"I'm not a child who will get nightmares!" Kadaj shouted after him as he left the cage. "Just…don't turn off the lights."

"A'right. Goodnight, then, fer what's left of it."

Kadaj didn't answer, but behind his back both Yazoo and Loz mouthed silent 'thank you'.


	4. Chapter 4

Title: Prison 4

Author. Enide Dear

Rating: no violence, no sex, some little nakedness

Pairing: Valenwind, also featuring Kadaj, Yazoo and Loz, but no Remnantcest

Summary: Cid is transporting the Remnants as prisoners on the Highwind.

The sheer amount of angry, frightened hissing that accompanied Vincent as he opened the door to the cargo hall, balancing a breakfast tray, made the ex-Turk think of the time Cid forgot his tea kettle on the stove.

"What are you doing here?!" Yazoo spat, crawling backwards in his cage.

"Captain! Captain Highwind!" Loz shouted for aid rather shamelessly, although last night's events made it impossible for Vincent to blame him.

"The captain is busy with repairs. His expertise was needed to check the engines, so we won't get another accident like yesterday." Vincent sat down the breakfast tray and started to deal out the food. "And then even the legendary Cid Highwind needs some sleep, no matter how invulnerable and unstoppable he thinks he is. So I'll be your guard today."

"You'll try to kill us." Kadaj tore at his arm, still cuffed to the bars. His slim chest was covered in bandages and he had stitches on his temple and dried blood in his hair.

"Yesterday night….that wasn't me. It was one of my demons, Chaos."

"What's the difference?!"

Vincent gave the young Remnant a long, cold stare.

"I would have thought you of all people would know what it's like to be possessed."

Kadaj blinked in surprise, and looked away.

A couple of hours after midday, the cargo door opened and a very greasy, oilstained and happily whistling Cid stepped into the cargo hold, his hands full of ice lollies, effectively destroying the tense and hateful mood in the hold.

"Here ya go!" He threw three lollies at the Remnants' cages, and they deftly caught them, even Kadaj. Then he leaned over Vincent to give him a kiss on the cheek whiles the two oldest Remnants whooped with delight at their treats.

"Ice cream?" Vincent asked, putting down the book he'd been reading.

"Yep, it's tradition. Every time an airship survives an engine disaster, everyone on board gets an ice cream. Here, I saved the best for you – chocolate and raspberry flavoured."

The conversation had of course not passed by the sharp hearing of the Remnants. Quite proud and a bit possessively, Yazoo said to Loz:

"I got vanilla and raspberries. Means he likes me better than he likes you."

"Oh yeah? Well I got chocolate and vanilla, so that beats yours!"

"Shut up, both of you!" Kadaj glared at his brothers. "You are both pathetic! Fawning at the knees of our damned *prison keeper* to decide who he likes the best!"

Embarrassed and subdued, Yazoo and Loz fell quiet, munching at their ice creams. And then, half grudgingly but unable to keep quiet, Kadaj added.

"And anyway, *I* got chocolate and raspberry!"

Vincent rolled his eyes as the loud bantering started all over again.

"Ow! Ow ow ow! You are hurting me!"

"Oh, stop yer whining. Or I'll have Vince remove yer damned stitches." Cid held the tweezers an inch from Kadaj's silver hair. "I'm not even touching ya!"

"Just leave it in. What do you care if it festers?"

"Yer going ta prison, kid. Stop acting as if it was yer funeral we're going ta."

Kadaj didn't answer, but clenched his hands around the blanket.

"We might be alive in there. But it will still be a grave. A tomb."

"Now yer just being melodramatic…"

"No! You don't understand. In there….they won't let us be together, will they?" Kadaj gave Cid a sly but tired glance. He lowered his voice, enough that it didn't carry to the other two cages. "I wouldn't. I bet they will ship us away all over the world as soon as they can. One of us in Midgard, one in Wutai, one somewhere north. Or something. It doesn't matter. What does matter is…after we land…I'll never see my brothers again, will I?"

"I…" Cid was taken aback; he hadn't thought of that. "I was charged ta get ya all ta Midgard. That's all I know."

"Because they wouldn't tell you more. Because they knew you wouldn't let them separate us forever." Kadaj didn't look at Cid anymore, but kept his green, shiny eyes on his brothers. "Because like you said…we're all we have. Don't you see? I have to take care of them."

"And who'll take care of ya?"

Kadaj shrugged.

"I'll take care of myself. That's what I do."

He looked very tired and almost old, for all that he was just above half Cid's age.

"'m sorry. But ya know, ya brought this upon yerselves. Kidnapping, torture, killing…"

"I know." Kadaj did not look at Cid. "We spent so much time, looking for Mother. Maybe…maybe we should have spent some of it looking for a father?"

"I…" Cid didn't know what to say. Very gently, he took Kadaj's chin and tilted his head upwards to that he could remove the stitches. Kadaj let him, without a fuss, though there were a few tears on his cheek.

"Please just promise me one thing." Kadaj said as Cid got up to leave. "Let us say good bye one last time. Let me…hug my brothers once more, before they're lost from me."

Cid looked down into vulnerable, inhuman, tear-shining eyes.

He nodded.

" I promise."


	5. Chapter 5

Title: Prison V

Author. Enide Dear

Rating: violence, no sex, some little nakedness

Pairing: Valenwind, also featuring Kadaj, Yazoo and Loz, but no Remnantcest

Summary: Do Not Feed The Remnants, They Might Bite

Author's note: The ending scene is for FrostofOblivionIV, who claimed that she'd be amused by watching the Remnants do just this….

**

Cid had barely landed the Highwind on the prison hangar before twenty heavily armed and armoured guards ran up the bridge towards the cargo hold. Swearing, Cid slammed in the hover mood and ran for the hold, Vincent at his heels.

It couldn't have taken more than three minutes for Cid to get from the deck to the cargo hold, but the scene that met him as he rushed through the opened door was a massacre.

Blood covered the floor, along with several guards who lay clutching broken bones or gushing wounds; furious Remnant shouting could be heard over the *budd-a-budd-a-budd-a* sound of fired rubber bullets and screaming guards.

Loz had grabbed the guards coming for his cage and slammed them against the bars; they stumbled away with broken noses or fell unconscious to the floor, except for one that was held up as a living shield against the rubber bullets of his friends. Loz had kicked up his mattress against one side of his cage, and the third one was against the wall, leaving only one way open for the guards to get to him. No one seemed very eager any longer.

Yazoo had another guard in a strangle- grip against his cage, threatening to snap his neck if anyone approached; the silver threads eating into the guards neck where braided strands of his own hair.

Around Kadaj's cage guards were crawling away; apparently they had by far underestimated the wounded and cuffed Remnant. One of the guards where clutching his thigh where a lollie stick was stabbed deep into his flesh.

"You promised!" Kadaj shouted as Cid entered the hold. "You promised we'd be allowed to say goodbye!"

"What the fuck do ya think yer doin'?!" Cid screamed over the fighting and grabbed one of the terrified guards by the neck.

"We…we…got orders to remove them…they were resisting…" the man stammered, scared half out of his mind by the violent and unexpected resistance.

"No shit, they're resisting, with ya'all behaving like idiots! Now get the Hell out of here and leave 'em ta me!"

"You have no authority…" the guard started.

"This is my damned ship, and on this ship I'm the ONLY one who has authority, ya understand? Get. Out!"

Cid threw his away and hurried for the wounded guards, starting to pull them out of the cargo hold.

"You can't…!" the guard, frightened, confused and angry raised his gun, aiming for Cid.

A metal claw came out of nowhere, grabbed the gun and tore it to shreds. Red eyes, starting to turn dangerously yellow, met the guards.

"He can. Now, leave."

It didn't take very long for the guards to retreat out the cargo hold; that is, those guards that the Remnants didn't still use as protection. One was wriggling helplessly in Loz's grip, the other was turning blue in Yazoo's garrotte.

Cid sighed.

"A'righ, boys, let 'em go." None of the Remnants obeyed and Cid frowned. "What the Hell is wrong now?"

"You promised," Kadaj hissed. "You promised we could say goodbye properly!"

"I did, and I ain't going back on my word. But it will be on *my* terms, not yers and not those guards' outside, understand?" Cid met their cold inhuman gazes straight on. "Ya will jest have ta trust me."

The moment dragged on, the only sound the faint thrashing of the guards. Finally, Kadaj nodded and his brothers released the guards. The beat-up men stumbled coughing and bleeding towards the exit, but no one really cared about them any longer.

"If you let us down on this," Kadaj said quietly. "We will hunt you down and kill you."

"The day I break my word, I'll let ya." Cid stepped up to Loz cage with two pairs of cuffs. "C'm on. Ya first."

Very reluctantly, Loz let Cid cuff his arms and feet before the captain opened the cage door and let him out.

"Captain Highwind…." He said as Cid led him towards the cargo bridge that now opened down towards the prison yard.

"Yeah, Loz?"

"…take care of Duel Hound for me?"

"Can't do that, kid. All yer stuff are being stored in the prison armoury. Sorry."

"Oh." Loz hung his head. "Nothing is going our way anymore, is it?"

"I guess not." Cid stopped him just before they stepped down on the yard and raised his voice to carry over the almost ridiculously large number of guards that where assembled there, all with guns raised and ready and looking more nervous than a bunch of chickens who'd just found out they were to have foxes as roommates. "Look here! We're still on the Highwind, so they're still my prisoners. Ya will all stay the fuck away, and I'll give 'em ta ya as soon as I'm done here."

"We don't have time for this, captain!" one of the guards shouted. "They need to get into isolation as soon as possible!"

"Take the time. Vince, will ya stay here and make sure nobody does anything stupid?" Cid nodded at the guards and the frowning Remnant.

"Nobody but you, you mean?" Vincent sighed. "Go on."

It might be the way the Remnant cringed with obvious fright as the slim dark man stepped forward that made all the guards take one step backwards; or it might be the faint yellow light shining in his eyes.

Yazoo was led out afterwards, with several nervous glances at Kadaj, but without any fuss.

"Do you think they'll let me play solitaire in there?" he mumbled to Cid who shook his head.

"Wouldn't think so."

"Probably not." Yazoo sighed. "It will be so very boring."

"Yeah."

**

Cid stopped a minute outside Kadaj's cage, studying the torn up but fiercely determined young Remnant.

"Yer gonna try something now? Some last minute, clever scheme? Got anymore lollie sticks ta try and stab me with?"

"What's the point? You have my brothers out there, cuffed and with a hundred rifles pointed at them. And I don't think its just rubber bullets anymore."

"Good kid. Now c'mon. Out there, and I'll let ya say goodbye before I turn you over to the prison."

The cast on Kadaj's right arm made it impossible to cuff, but the young Remnant followed almost eagerly out the bridge to where his brothers waited.

"There." Cid said as they were all assembled. "Now ya can say goodbye."

Kadaj threw himself at his brothers, clutching them both into a fierce embrace. They hugged him back, not caring about bandages and wounds, but just holding on one last time to the only thing the world had ever given them for free. One another.

And then suddenly Kadaj broke loose from the grip and threw his arms around Cid's waist, burying his teary face against the captain's oil stained t-shirt, the casted arm bumping uncomfortably against Cid.

"Thank you," he mumbled, "thank you, captain."

"Look, kid, I…" Cid couldn't help but hug back, but in that instance one of the tense guards screamed:

"He's attacking the captain! Shoot him!"

The gunshot seemed to echo far too loud over the prison yard.

"No!" Cid shouted and twisted around, getting himself between the bullet and Kadaj; the Remnant stumbled away unhurt as Cid fell forward, his shoulder, where Kadaj's head had been just a second ago, suddenly seeming to explode.

"Chief!" Vincent screamed in horror, pulling out Cerebus even as he kneeled by Cid.

"Captain!" the Remnants shouted terrified, only Kadaj standing quiet, mute with shock.

Three pairs of inhuman reptile eyes and one pair of demon yellow suddenly turned on the assembled prison guards with united unholy wrath. Several guards looked ready to run, but the others all raised their guns.

"Stop it, all of ya!" Cid staggered to his feet, clutching his shoulder. "I ain't fucking dead, and I don't intend ta die here!" He stumbled again, but Vincent caught him, holding him as gently as he could. Cid was white faced with pain, and rapidly loosing blood. "Need…need ta get on my ship…need….healing."

"You'll get it." Vincent looked almost sick with worry. "Now. Immediately. Come on, chief."

"Ya…go with them…be good now, boys…." Cid barely had the strength to look back and wave at the Remnants as Vincent led him aboard the Highwind.

Inhuman eyes, huge with worry, followed them.

**

"Wonder how they are?" Cid lay in bed, watching Vincent fuss with his bandages. It had been two days since the shooting and they were well on their way towards Rocket Town and a well-deserved rest.

"Alive, which is almost more than I can say about you." Vincent double-checked the bandages covering Cid's left shoulders and the better part of his arm and torso. "You are healing well, though. You should be back to doing stupid heroics in a few days."

"Heh, that's what I do best."

"No, this is what you do best." Vincent leaned over and gave him a long, lingering kiss which Cid eagerly answered. "Now, try to rest."

Cid waited until Vincent had left the room until he started looking for his cigs. He hadn't had one in days because Vincent had this thing about wounds and cigarette smoke, but he just knew there had to be some left in his pant pockets.

Swearing against the stabbing pain in his shoulder, he managed to grab his pants that lay neatly folded on a chair next to the bed and got out his cigarettes. Fumbling around the pockets for the lighter, he started to frown. The lighter was there, alright, but something was missing….Going a bit frantic, he turned the pockets inside out, spilling their content on the bed; lint, paper, lighter, cigarettes.…but no pocket knife. But he always kept it….in the pocket on the same side where Kadaj's casted arm had bumped against him.

"Oh, no, he didn't." Cid mumbled denial, although dreaded certainty crept up on him. "The little punk didn't! Vincent!" He shouted. "We have a problem!"

**

By the time the Highwind got radio contact with Midgard Prison, it was, of course, too late. The Remnants had escaped, leaving a literally bloody mess behind and were now gone, without a trace. Several squadrons of Turks and Soldiers where on the prowl, but so far no one had found anything. Neither Cid nor Vincent thought they would, either.

The thought made them strangely relieved.

Epilogue

Late one evening, two days after the Highwind had returned to Rocket Town, there was a knock on the door. Cid knew he should have been more surprised than he was when he opened it and saw three pale, armed forms standing outside, fidgeting nervously.

"How is….how is your shoulder, captain Highwind?" Kadaj glanced up at him, under his bangs.

"Healed. Aching like Hell." Cid looked from one of them to another.

"I wanted to return this." Kadaj muttered under his breath, holding out a pocket knife that looked a lot more worn than it had last time Cid saw it. The blade was broken two fingers' breath from the tip and there were rusty-red stains on the metal.

"I broke Duel Hound. Can you help me fix it?" Loz said, holding out his strange weapon; even from where Cid was standing it looked broken merely because someone had doggedly loosened a few screws.

Yazoo smiled and neatly flipped a stack of cards between his long fingers.

"I brought my own cards. You can watch me play this time."

Cid sighed, and looked at the three young, nervous, and by all accounts insane pale punks that stood on his porch. He held out his hand. A knife, a techno-gadget and a stack of card quickly filled it.

"Vince!" he shouted back into the house. "We'd better dust of the guest room, 'cause it seems we go company. Fer a couple of years, or so."

Vincent, who had watched from the shadows, took a step forward, rather enjoying the scared look on the Remnant's faces. He sighed inwardly. What was it with Cid and lost causes, anyway? He mulled over that thought for a second and then had the decency to blush.

"I'll just get the pillows." He muttered.

**

"It seems Cid and Vincent already have company," Tifa said as she and Cloud approached the house of their Avalanche friends. "There's people in the backyard."

"The front door is locked. Let's just go around." Cloud took her hand.

As they came around the house he regretted it, however, as the shock made Tifa squeeze it so hard it almost broke his fingers.

Three pale and far too familiar faces stared back at them in equal shock, not lessened by the fact that Loz and Yazoo were helping each other folding clean sheets from the washing line and Kadaj was sitting cross-legged in the grass trying to sort socks, his mouth full of clothespins, one of which was holding back his bangs from his face.

"There ya go, boys!" Cid opening the door and stepping out made all five antagonists jump. "If yer done with the laundry, I got tea ready, and Vince is finishing the coffee…oh. Eheh." Very carefully, and still favouring his hale shoulder, Cid put down the tray with cups and smiled sheepishly at Cloud and Tifa. "Yeah, so, this is kind of a long story…want some tea?"

**

This series will continue in Family Bliss where Cid and Vincent tries to make the Sephlings adapt to a normal life. For a given value of 'normal', of course.


End file.
